Ditch magnet



March 3, 1970 J. H. KlRBY m 3,498,455

DITCH MAGNET Filed Jan. 19, 1968 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 F L7 l I 32 JOHN H.AVE/5x122 I N VENTOR.

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ATTORNEY Filed Jan: 19, 1968 66 12 I .1. -3 If i 7 I 82 84 I JOHN H.MR6): E

INVENTOR.

ITI'ORNEY United States Patent DITCH MAGNET John H. Kirby III, Houston,Tex., assignor to Ditch Magnets, Inc., Houston, Tex., a corporation ofTexas Filed Jan. 19, 1968, Ser. No. 699,143 Int. Cl. B03c N08 US. Cl.209223 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for positioning inthe mud circulation system during milling or cutting operations in awell bore thereby removing ferrous particles from such mud circulationsystem after the mud comes from such well bore.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present inventionis directed to apparatus which is utilized in removing ferrous particlesfrom the mud circulation system utilized during milling or cuttingoperations performed in a well bore. Known apparatus utilized inremoving some of such ferrous particles from the mud circulation systemlacks mobility, effectiveness, versatility, and the ability to betransported easily to offshore well locations.

Description of the prior art Prior art apparatus is available which maybe positioned in a mud circulation system during milling or cuttingoperations performed in a well bore and such apparatus removes some ofthe ferrous particles which are in the mud circulation system as the mudis removed from the bore hole. However, such prior art apparatus iscumbersome, is not effective in removing all of the ferrous materialswhich are in the mud circulation system, and the mud flow is notagitated or diverted to allow a maximum volume of mud to be influencedby the magnetic field of the prior art devices. The present invention isdirected to apparatus which causes agitation of the mud flow and allowsthe magnet assembly of the present invention to remove much more ferrousmaterial from the mud flow than is possible with prior art apparatus.The present invention also provides a structure having a better magneticflux-flow than in prior art apparatus.

Summary of the invention The present invention provides portableapparatus including a housing for positioning in the mud circulationsystem utilized when drilling a well. Coupled to the housing are aplurality of hinged doors and the housing has handle means coupledthereto for ease in moving such apparatus from one location to another.Disposed in the housing are a plurality of baflle supports on which amagnetic assembly rests. Such magnetic assembly includes three magnetspositioned so that the like polarity poles of two magnets are positionedadjacent each other to provide a strong magnetic flux-flow. The magnetsare disposed in a non-magnetic housing which has handle means for easein removing the magnet assembly from the housing for cleaningaccumulated ferrous particles from such magnet assembly. The housing hasa slot opening wherein a discharge flow regulating gate may bepositioned to control the volume of the mud which passes through suchhousing.

Brief description of the drawings In the drawings: FIGURE 1 is a sideelevational view showing a typical mud circulation system utilized whiledrilling a well with 3,498,455 Patented Mar. 3, 1970 "ice the apparatusof the present invention positioned in such mud circulation system;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective, partially cut-away view of the apparatus ofthe present invention;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional elevational view of the apparatus of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional side view of the magnet assembly of the presentinvention;

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional end view of the apparatus of the presentinvention taken along line 55 of FIGURE 3; and

FIGURE 6 is a perspective side view of the magnet assembly of thepresent invention.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring now to the drawings indetail, FIGURE 1 shows a typical mud circulation system which isutilized while drilling a well and while milling or cutting ferrousmaterial in a well bore. A derrick structure 10 is positioned on supportmembers 12 and 14 in a manner well known in the art. Surface pipe is setin the surface 18 and drillpipe 20 is positioned within the surface pipe16.

A mud tank 22 having mud 24 positioned therein acts as a storagefacility for the mud utilized in milling or cutting operations. Mud 24is brought through line 26 to the pump 28 where the mud is brought underpressure through line 30 to the rotary swivel 32 and through thedrillpipe 20 to milling or cutting apparatus at the bottom of the wellbore. The mud is fed through such apparatus during milling or cuttingoperations. The mud then is brought through the annulus 34 between thedrillpipe 20 and the surface pipe 16 through opening 36 and into trough38. Disposed in trough 38, which may be positioned to allow gravityflow, is housing 40. As will be explained in detail subsequently,housing 40 contains magnetic means which remove ferrous material fromthe mud 24 as it flows through trough 38. After the mud passes throughthe housing 40, the gravity flow allows the mud to return to mud tank22. It will be appreciated that variations may be made regardingpositioning of the various elements shown in the mud circulation systembut hous ing 40 of the present invention is to be placed between theoutput of mud from the well bore and the mud storage tank. The presentinvention removes ferrous particles from the mud circulation systemprior to passage-of the mud through the mud pump 28 thereby minimizingwear on the pump parts.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective side view of housing 40 shown in FIGURE 1.Housing 40 includes an end member 42 having doors 44 and 46. Door 44 maybe coupled to end 42 through suitable fastening means 48 which mayinclude hinges and a plurality of rivets such as rivet 50. Door 46 iscoupled to end member 42 through similar fastening means.

Doors 44 and 46 are hinged so that the housing 40 may be adapted tovarious sizes of troughs. Thus, housing 40 may be positioned in mud flowsystems of various sizes and various capacities.

Coupled to end 42 is upper member 52 having an opening 54. Member 52 hasa slot 56 at one end so that a gate 58 may be positioned in the slot 56for controlling the quantity of mud which flows in opening 60 and whichflows out of opening 62.

Opening 62 is positioned in end member 64 which has an opening 66.

Member 68 is coupled between end 42 and end 64 and member 68 hassupports 70 and 72 positioned thereon.

Handles 74 and 76 are coupled on one side of member 68 and similarhandles may be positioned on the other side of housing 40 to allow theapparatus of the present invention to be positioned easily in theflow-trough of a mud circulation system.

Opening 54 allows easy removal of magnet assembly 78 for removingferrous particles which have accumulated on magnet assembly 78.

The magnet assembly 78 rests on two supports or baffles but only onesupport or baffle 80 may be seen in FIG- URE 2. Magnet assembly 78 hashandles 82 and 84 positioned on each end of the magnet assembly 78 toallow magnet assembly 78 to be removed from the supports or baflles suchas support 80.

It will be appreciated in viewing FIGURE 2 that the apparatus of theinvention allows mud to pass through opening 60 over bafides such asbafile 80 and then the mud passes over or near the magnet assembly 78.The mud then flows through opening 62 and the gate 58 controls thevolume of mud which passes through the apparatus of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional side view of the housing 40 of the presentinvention. Door 46 is shown coupled to end member 42 as explainedpreviously. The mud flow is shown by the arrows and the mud passes overor near magnet assembly 78 as explained previously. The bafile 80 whichwas explained in connection with FIGURE 2 is visible in FIGURE 3 alongwith baflle 86. Bafile 88 is positioned between bafi'les 80 and 86 andcauses turbulence in the flow of mud so that magnet assembly 78 acts onas much mud volume as possible thereby removing more ferrous materialfrom the mud flow than has been heretofore possible with known apparatussimilar to apparatus of the present invention.

It will be appreciated that baffles 80 and 86 are of a cradle or supporttype and hold magnet assembly 78 in FIGURE 3 shows the manner in whichgate 58 restrictsthe flow of mud through the apparatus of the presentinvention according to the requirements of a particular mud circulationsystem. Thus, the present apparatus has great versatility of use in mudcirculating systems.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional side view of magnet assem-' bly 78. Anon-magnetic housing-90 which may be made from fiber glass enclosesthree magnets 92, 94 and 96. The three magnets are so positioned thatthe like polarity poles are near each other. Spacers 98, 100, 102 and104 are positioned between the magnets and between the nonmetallichousing and the magnets. Handles 84 and 82 are positioned on each end ofthe magnet assembly to allow the magnet assembly 78 to be easily moved.

It will be appreciated in viewing FIGURE 4 that the I positioning of thethree magnets allows large cylindrical magnets to be utilized and thenon-metallic housing 90, which may be of fiber glass provides a bettermagnetic fluxfiow thereby givinga better result because more ferrousparticles are removed from the drilling mud.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional end view of the apparatus of the presentinvention taken along line 5-5 of FIGURE 3. Handle 82 is shown coupledto the magnet assembly 78 which is positioned on support 80. Support 72is shown in FIGURE 5 and it will be appreciated that the mud flowthrough the apparatus of the present invention allows the mud to passwithin the magnetic field of the magnet assembly to provide maximumremoval of ferrous particles from the drilling mud.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective side vew of the magnet assembly 78 showinghandles 82 and 84 positioned on the 'ends of the magnet assembly asexplained previously.

shore operations. The apparatus of the present invention furtherprovides a better magnet flux-flow through utilization of a non-magnetichousing such as Fiberglas for enclosing a plurality of magnets. Theapparatus of the present invention is adaptable for use with varioussize fiowtroughs and for mud circulation systems having variouscapacities.

I claim: 1. A mud circulation system including in combination: a mudstorage source, pump means coupled to said source for pumping mud into awell bore, and magnet housing means positioned between said well boreand said mud storage source for removing ferrous particles from the mud,said magnet housing means including in combination:

an elongated housing having an input opening in one end, an outputopening in the other end, a top connected to both said ends, anelongated opening in said top of said housing between said input openingand said'output opening, a slot near said top and end near said outputopening, and first and second support members on the bottom of saidhousing, first and second doors hinged about vertical axes and coupledto said housing at the input end, handle means coupled above said firstand second support members on said housing, a plurality of bafilemembers disposed in said housing below said elongated opening, and amagnet combination positioned on said plurality of bafile members, saidmagnet combination including first, second and third cylindrical magnetseach having a south pole and a north pole and aligned to form a singlecylinder in which the poles of said second cylindrical magnet are thesame as the poles of the adjacent magnets, a non-magnetic housingincluding first and second ends, enclosing said magnets with a pluralityof non-magnetic separators being disposed between said magnets andbetween said housing and said first and third magnets, and first andsecond handle means coupled respectively to said first and second endsof said non-magnetic housing whereby the mud passing through said mudcirculation system is agitated continuously by passage over saidplurality of baffle members to allow said magnet combination to pick upferrous particles I, in the mud as the mud comes from the well bore.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 456,036 7/1891 Nunt 209372 X2,636,608 4/1953 Prevost 210222 2,678,729 5/1954 Spodig 210-2222,699,871 1/1955 'Stem 209223 2,792,115 5/1957 Medearis 209223 2,870,9901/ 1959 Bergey.

2,912,106 11/1959 Martin 209-223 2,537,710 5/1960 Michael 210 222 X3,139,403 6/ 1964 Cramer 210-222 FOREIGN PATENTS 563,022 7/1944 GreatBritain.

796,336 6/1958 Great Britain.

855,929 12/1960 Great Britain.

HARRY B. THORNTON, Primary Examner US. Cl. X.R.

